The UK is home to a rich variety of trees, shaping our beautiful landscapes. From mighty English oaks to elegant silver birches, trees are a vital commodity in gardens, public spaces, commercial grounds, grand estates and woodlands. As professional tree surgeons, we’re often asked to identify common UK tree species.
Whether you want tips on how to look after trees in your garden or identify a particular species, here are some tips to follow.
English oak trees
How to identify English oak trees: Living for centuries, oak trees have broad and sturdy trunks with a wide crown of twisted branches. Their leaves are round with distinct lobes, producing acorns on short stalks.
Where you find English oak trees: ancient woodlands, parks, hedgerows
Ash trees
How to identify ash trees: Ash trees have slender black buds, with smooth and pale grey bark that becomes furrowed as the tree ages. Numbers are dwindling due to ash dieback.
Where you find ash trees: woodlands, hedgerows
Sycamore trees
How to identify sycamore trees: UK sycamores have large leaves with 5 lobes (a bit like maple tree leaves). In the springtime, they produce green-yellow flowers.
Where you find sycamore trees: urban spaces, farmland, coastal areas
Alder trees
How to identify alder trees: Displaying rounded leaves with a slight notch at the tip, alder trees produce woody brown cones and catkins all year round. They are found in damp environments.
Where you find alder trees: wetlands, riverbanks, damp soils
Beech trees
How to identify beech trees: With smooth grey bark and wavy oval leaves, beech trees produce triangular nuts (known as beech mast) in the autumn.
Where you find beech trees: woodlands
Silver birch trees
How to identify silver birch trees: Recognisable from their while peeling bark and delicate triangular leaves, silver birch trees have a distinct appearance.
Where you find silver birch trees: heathland, woodland edges, open countryside
Hazel trees
How to identify hazel trees: UK hazel trees have rounded, toothed leaves with a soft feel due to tiny downy hairs. We see yellow catkins produced in early spring and nuts encased in leafy husks in autumn.
Where you find hazel trees: woodlands, hedgerows, managed canopies
Holly trees
How to identify holly trees: These trees have the famous spiky holly leaves, bearing bright red berries in winter.
Where you find holly trees: woodlands, hedgerows, gardens
Hawthorn trees
How to identify hawthorn trees: With thorny branches and lobed leaves, Hawthorn trees produce white and pink flowers in spring, followed by red berries known as haws.
Where you find hawthorn trees: hedges, field boundaries, scrubland
Rowan trees
How to identify rowan trees: With pinnate leaves made up of 11 to 15 leaflets, we see clusters of bright orange red berries appear on rowan trees in the autumn.
Where you find rowan trees: upland areas in Scotland, Wales and Northern England
Call DH Tree Services for tree identification help
Our arborists offer professional tree services across Surrey and surrounding areas of Kent and Sussex, including Chipstead and Lingfield.
To speak to our tree surgeons, contact us.
